C.J. West Interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

I’ll write anytime. Mornings are a great time for me, but I often have correspondence or other commitments. When I worked fulltime I used to write from 10:00 pm until 2:30 am and I hated to go to sleep because the house was quiet and I was often on a roll at the end of my writing time.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I start my projects with index cards so I can organize a story into scenes and then I transfer everything to computer and begin an outline.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from the world around me. Most of my books grow out of a question I pose to myself about some aspect of our existence. These questions arise from watching people with a sense of wonder.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

Yes. I try to write 1,500 words per day when I am drafting a book.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I’ve been self-published since 2005 and I have a cover artist that I really enjoy working with.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

Initially writing was a hobby, but over time it grew to something I had to do. When I spent 7 years without missing a single day of writing, I knew I wanted to do this as a profession. The creativity, the challenge of constructing a compelling book, and the interaction with readers all draw me into this life.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

I own a Kindle and prefer to read all my books electronically. Paper books sit on my nightstand and though I’d like to read them, the same 5 have been sitting there untouched for six months.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

I have been blessed to meet some wonderful authors in person at conventions and conferences. Some of my favorites are Rachel Brady, Tim Hallinan, LJ Sellers and Simon Wood.  Right now I’m reading Scott Nicholson, Disintegration - it is off to a really strong start.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I have done a few lousy book trailers. I enjoy tinkering with them, but I have shown no skill for this yet. I hope my next trailer will be much better than my others.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?

The End of Marking Time means multiple things. The title came to me early in the writing process and I never changed it. This is typical for me because the title is tied to what I am writing about.

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I’m writing Addicted To Love, it’s a thrill about the essence of love and I’m really enjoying the process. It’ll be released this fall.